Bayelsa State Government has directed anyone acting as paramount ruler or any other elective office holder in Ovom Community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state to stop forthwith.
It said that the government has already put in place machinery to oversee the affairs of the community between now and when a new Ebeniken will be elected.
To that effect, the state stated that it has set up an expanded constitution review committee (CRC) and an electoral committee to assiduously work towards the enthronement of a substantive leadership by the end of October this year.
A statement signed by Doubara Atasi, Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, stated that the Chairman of the Ovom constitution review committee is the Chairman of Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bulodisiye Ndiwari, while a nominee from the Office of the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice is to serve as Secretary.
The statement read that members of the committee, which has one month to complete its assignment, are fifteen members each from the subsisting five compounds, including five females and the compound chiefs or their nominees.
“On the other hand, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Perekeme Bertola, is the Chairman of the Ovom Chieftaincy Electoral Committee, with the Chairman of Yenagoa Rural Development Authority (RDA), Bobby Gabriel, as a member.
“Other ELECO members include the Special Adviser on Security Matters, CP Agberebi Akpoebi (Rtd), Technical Adviser on Special Duties, Tonworimi Embiowei, and a nominee each from the member representing Yenagoa Constituency One at the state House of Assembly, Ayibanengiyefa Egba,
“Also to serve as members are: one nominee each from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House.”
Constituting the two committees during a meeting with stakeholders of the community in Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday, the Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, stressed the need for the feuding parties to sink their differences in the interest of peace and development.
According to Ewhrudjakpo, “the state government is not happy over the leadership vacuum in Ovom, being one of the host communities to several critical government facilities in the state capital.”
He therefore called on all stakeholders, including the Chiefs and people of Ovom, to heartily embrace the government’s efforts at restoring sustainable peace and stability in the community.
Ewhrudjakpo, who assured that the election into the Ovom Ebeniken would be conducted before the end of October this year, charged the ELECO to issue the nomination form to every eligible person at no cost.
Addressing some concerns raised at the meeting, the Deputy Governor directed the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Biriyai Dambo (SAN), and his Deputy Chief of Staff, Gowon Toruyouyei, to liaise with the community stakeholders to withdraw all ongoing court cases in respect of the vacant Ovom Ebeniken stool.
“Both the old and the new constitutions, that is causing part of the problem, should be made available to the constitution review committee so that they can start their work immediately.
“The Committee has one month to review the constitution, which means they should complete their assignment by the 2nd of October, 2025. Once they finish the review and adopt every clause, it will not be subject to any other referendum.
“For the electoral committee, you are to state the guidelines for the election. And for purposes of transparency, nobody who is eligible should pay any money for the nomination form because the government will provide everything needed for the election.”
